Common Juniper

It finally snowed a couple of inches, so I was able to get out for some cross-country skiing in the soft powder. It was single-digit cold, though, and windy, so most critters were holed up somewhere warm. I did, however, see quite a few common juniper shrubs, Juniperus communis var. depressa, peeking up through the new snow.

This plant is another hardy evergreen that manages to provide a little color in the Wyoming winter. 

In Wyoming's harsh environment, common juniper is also known as dwarf juniper since it tends to stay low, shrubby and almost mat-like.  In more hospitible climes, it can become more of a tree.  It is called "common" because it is the most widespread conifer in the world, being, according to Plants of the Rocky Mountains, the only "circumpolar conifer in the northern hemisphere".

The blue 'juniper berries' are actually female seed cones that can be used to flavor gin, enhance meat, or provide herbal remedies for things like kidney problems.  According to numerous websites, though, this herb may actually be harmful to people with kidney problems.  I think I will just leave them on the tree for the birds.